"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
-Albert Einstein
I think it's just human nature to have to complicate things. But when you're in the clinic, that is no time to be an academic or philosopher.
I've always harped on clinical results. Working in the clinic is working in the trenches so to speak. This is where the rubber meets the road. Any flowery ideas of acupuncture or Chinese medicine, all the lovely beautiful concepts and theories, they mean nothing. Results are the only thing that matters - and the treatments behind them. While many think this disparages the "art", what it actually is, is putting the patient first. I will never apologize for putting the patient above ideology that doesn't deliver results, and only serves to comfort one's ego.
I've seen so many peeps brag about what they can do. What they know, how they can "control qi", or the degrees they have. Something is always missing in this bragging though - the patient.
Learning is fun, philosophy is extremely interesting, exploring new idea is important. But in the clinic it's all about keeping it simple.
Likewise, how are you explaining things to your patients? Are you lecturing on the differences between acupuncture and dry needling? Are you over explaining how your treatments are helping them? Have you noticed they glaze over after about 30 seconds?
It's best to keep working on your scripts and saying things very direct. Give the patients what they need - results. We excel in the clinic, delivering the tools we've learned. If we're talking, we're not working (unless you can do both at the same time).
And please, keep it simple!
If you treat patients with plantar fasciitis, this video is worth your time. Anthony breaks it down with key treatment targets you might be missing.
Register for the next EXSTORE course or book a refresher if you need to brush up:
https://aseseminars.com/event/the-exstore-orthopedic-system-for-dry-needlers
Kenny Easley, Hall of Fame defensive back in the NFL passed away yesterday at the age of 66. He had to retire retire early because team doctors were giving him an absurd amount of nonsteroidal inflammatory drugs, which caused him to go into kidney failure and retire before the age of 30. Check out this excerpt of a New York Times article based on a piece written in a journal back in 2002. It’s important for athletes at all levels to have their own physicians and healthcare professionals so that they can act independently in the best interests of the athlete.
Post COVID, post stroke weakness & mobility issues
So this case was going well. I got strength back in her legs and arms and she was holding all progress for a few treatments even within the first few visits. Gait was looking even and lower body exstore was testing well.
Imaging shows she has brain atrophy and also lacunar infarcts though recently so I'm unsure how much more I can do without medication changes or treatment for that. Her doctors also think she may be going through some form of dementia when they ran testing but the patient could not state besides them talking about early dementia.
I am continuing with normal treatment. There is no treatment plan from any of her other doctors besides just run more tests by a new neurologist but nothing yet besides physical therapy. She has had two falls since beginning and the first one she has no memories of.
Do you think I'll continue to get back and forth until they figure out the brain? I think the areas affected can also affect ...